Study Protocols

Research Group Lead

Patient Care Research Group

Our overall aim is to develop novel strategies for improved health outcomes in psychological
response and in the prevention and palliation of disease and treatment related
symptoms in women’s cancer. Specific
areas of work are:

This
initiative began in 2008 to help integrate psychosocial research into the work
of the Department of Women’s Cancer.

Close collaboration between Anne and her
Consultant Clinical Psychologist colleague Dr. Sue Gessler has established a
programme of work with a team of doctoral and post doctoral research fellows.

We conduct research that is women centred, clinically applied and relevant to
the diversity of women’s lives across the life span.

Patient care
research investigates the experiences of individuals in health and illness,
with emphasis on health related quality of life and the role of care -givers –
self, family, and professionals – in health promotion, psychological response
and disease management.

We are committed to develop a research programme which
challenges routinised accounts of women’s health and tests new ways of working
with women.

The purpose of this is on the one hand, to equip women to more
actively manage their own health and meet the challenges posed by their cancer,
and on the other, to contribute to an understanding of how health professionals
can work to support this, while offering first class clinical care.

Nutritional status and nutritional interventions in ovarian cancer

Describing the nutritional status of women newly diagnosed with ovarian cancer and develop effective nutritional interventions. Our work in this area takes account of the complex relation of nutrition with gastrointestinal symptomology in ovarian cancer.

Symptoms in women's cancer

Symptom benefit study

Investigating quality of life issues related
to ovarian cancer and chemotherapy. We are interested in finding out how women
do during chemotherapy and whether symptom improvement occurs with treatment.
We will also develop better ways to predict which women may be most likely to
benefit from chemotherapy.

Gastrointestinal symptoms in ovarian cancer

Optimising women’s self-management of gastro intestinal symptoms in
ovarian cancer, we will first identify and provide detailed description of
gastrointestinal symptoms and symptom clusters. Then we will refine assessment
protocols, and treatment algorithms for improved prevention and relief of the
symptoms.

Innovative psychological therapies, evaluation and implementation in the clinical setting

Psychosexual interventions after treatment for gynaecological cancer. Developing and evaluating in a feasibility trial an integrated approach to psychosexual difficulties after treatment.

SAFFRON- Developing a Stepped
Approach to improving Sexual Function aFteR GynaecOlogical CaNcer. A pilot feasibility
trial to assess a stepped model of care for delivering psychosexual support to address
sexual difficulties experienced by women post-treatment for gynaecological
cancer.

Peer support.

Understanding the psychological mechanisms in peer support between new and post treatment gynaecological cancer patients

Assessing
the feasibility of training nurse specialists to deliver to a high
standard a manualised therapy previously carried out only by
psychologically trained personnel. This intervention widens and deepens
the traditional role of the nurse specialist, drawing on attachment
based therapies with close supervision to allow patients to work on
areas where their relationships are changing in the face of advanced
disease, and where distress and depression may interfere with the task
of facing a shortened life with comfort, dignity and a sense of
meaning.

Lanceley A, Eagle Z, Ogden G, Gessler S, Razvi K, Ledermann J, Side L. (2012) Family history and women with ovarian cancer: Is it asked and does it matter? International Journal of Gynaecological Cancer. 22(2): 254-259.

Lanceley, A. Cox, C. (2007) Cancer information and support needs of statutory and voluntary sector staff working with people from ethnically diverse communities. The European Journal of Cancer Care. 16(2): 122-9.

Lanceley A, Eagle Z, Ogden G, Gessler S, Razvi K, Ledermann J, Side L. (2012) Family history and women with ovarian cancer: Is it asked and does it matter? International Journal of Gynaecological Cancer. 22(2): 254-259.